On the Same Page: Reedsburg Public Library welcomes new youth services librarian

The Reedsburg Public Library welcomes Heather Johnson as the new youth services librarian. (Submitted photo)
Reedsburg Public Library is pleased to announce the addition of a new youth services librarian to the RPL staff!
Heather Johnson, a native of Wisconsin, brings with her an extensive background in education and a lifelong enthusiasm for public libraries! Before becoming a librarian, she worked as an ESL teacher in South Korea. Upon her return, Johnson found herself drawn to librarianship while working in Chicago as an after-school teacher. Class visits to the Chicago Public Library to check out books for the classroom made her realize that she enjoyed helping children “explore knowledge and fun through the realm of the library.”
After gaining experience as an assistant youth librarian, Johnson earned a master’s degree in library and information science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2021. She began her professional career as a youth services librarian in Englewood, Florida, before relocating to Wisconsin to be closer to family.
When asked what she likes most about working with teens and kids, she replied that, “they are so often imaginative and inquisitive. They remind me to never stop learning, wondering and dreaming.”
Be sure to introduce yourself to Miss Heather on your next visit to RPL!
Johnson’s arrival comes just in time for the preparation for summer 2024 programming at Reedsburg Public Library. The statewide theme for the summer is, Adventure Begins at Your Library. To that end, library staff has already started establishing some dates and keystone events for the summer. Reading Challenges will begin on June 1. Programs will begin on Monday, June 10, and run through Aug. 17.
This year’s Summer Kickoff will be held at the Library on June 11 at 6 p.m. and will highlight outdoor adventures for families in our local area. Some of our special programs for families this summer include Stories and S’Mores, and a special visit from representatives from the National Mississippi River Museum to be held in the Lions’ Building on Aug. 13. Rest assured, Library favorites will continue this summer under the direction of Miss Heather and Miss Maxine. Lunch Bunch, Babygarten, Reedsburg Readers I and II, Discovery Days, Teen Time and Loganville Little Library are all on the docket.
In the meantime, remember to check out the newly announced winners of the Caldecott and Newbery Medals for juvenile literature. The Caldecott and Newberry Awards are given each year by the American Library Association. “Big” by Vashti Harrison won this year’s Caldecott, while “The Eyes and the Impossible” by Dave Eggers garnered this year’s Newbery Medal. These books may be reserved on LINKcat.
For questions about any library service or program, call the library at 608-768-READ (7323) or email info@reedsburglibrary.org.